Virtual private networks (“VPN(s)”) are used to transmit a customer's information across a shared provider network while maintaining the privacy of the transmitted customer information. The VPN includes a customer-controlled portion (“the customer network”) having multiple, remote sites (“customer sites”) and a provider-controlled portion (“the provider network”) to link the remote customer sites. Customer edge routers at the customer sites are coupled to provider edge routers located at the edge of the provider network to couple the customer-controller portion to the provider-controlled portion. The customer's information is isolated from other information transmitted via the shared provider network by using separate routing tables to route information on the VPN. The routing tables, also called virtual routing and forwarding instances (VRFs), are installed in each provider edge router. To enable communication between the customer sites attached to different provider edge routers, the routes in the VRFs are shared among the provider edge routers. As a result, the size of the routing tables can become quite large, thereby placing a strain on provider edge routers. In fact, some provider edge routers lack the memory and CPU processing power needed to effectively operate due to the large and ever-growing size of the routing tables.
Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawing(s) and accompanying written description to refer to the same or like parts. As used herein, the phrase “in communication,” including variances thereof, encompasses direct communication and/or indirect communication through one or more intermediary components and does not require direct physical (e.g., wired) communication and/or constant communication, but rather additionally includes selective communication at periodic or aperiodic intervals, as well as one-time events.